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Simon Himmel Blog Entry |
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September 13, 2024, 12:00:16 AM 9/13/24: r/SketchDaily theme, "Free Draw Friday." This week's characters from my anthro WWII storyline are Otto Himmel's adopted children: Simon, Anneliese, Elka, Erna, Hugo, Monika, and Alwin. Himmel and his wife Dagmar always wanted a large family but she died giving birth to their only son Kolten; after the war, Himmel adopts a handful of orphans and with Johanna Wolfstein raises them as their own. There'll be more about them later in my art Tumblr and Toyhou.se. Regarding their design, Elka and Erna are twins, while Hugo, Monika, and Alwin are siblings, so I gave them all distinctive lighter colored ears. Simon is the oldest of them, Anneliese the youngest. TUMBLR EDIT: Whoo a bunch this week! For starters, please see Johanna Wolfstein's entry for how she and Himmel end up together after the war and how their family begins. Himmel's beloved wife, Dagmar, died of blood loss following Kolten's birth years ago, dashing Himmel's hopes of having a big family (during the war he envied his boss's, Jäger's, large brood, spoiling them whenever he had the chance, and was heartbroken following their deaths in the Alpine Fortress); he and Johanna, who'd also wanted kids yet couldn't have any, decide they can patch together a family together, following an orphanage visit. This entry will afterward be individualized for each child though I haven't much to share yet so these should be short. Here we go! Simon is the last yet oldest child to be adopted by Otto Himmel and (informally) his partner Johanna Wolfstein. So I really should've drawn him last, except he's the one most developed in terms of personality. He's a quiet, polite, bookish Jewish boy who lost his entire family in the war; as the woman running the orphanage explains to Himmel, who's already adopted six other children from there, he's a sweet boy anyone should be glad to name their own, just that, at around eleven years old, he's older than what most people are looking for. There's a very real possibility he may simply age out of the system and end up on his own. She knows Himmel hadn't planned on adopting more children, yet hopes he could at least meet Simon...? Himmel has a soft heart and is easily swayed by Simon's story; he agrees to meet him. Simon and Himmel get along, though the boy is shy and withdrawn, a consequence both of all he's been through, and of seeing multiple other prospective parents pass him by. It's obvious he expects no different from Himmel. Yet after a brief time getting to know each other a little, Himmel offers to let Simon come to his house to visit and meet the others who live there. This is the process they've been following so far, so it's nothing new; Simon is uncertain, but the administrator says it's all right, Himmel has proven trustworthy, and she'll come along as well if he wants. He says it's all right, and the two head off into the country; it takes a while to get there, a big country mansion surrounded by open land, and they're greeted first by Johanna, who hadn't known Himmel planned to visit the orphanage again, and then by the other adoptees--they come swarming Himmel, yelling and exclaiming and nearly knocking him over as he laughs and greets each by name and gives out candies. They all demand his attention for what they've been doing in his absence, which he readily grants them--though he insists on introducing Simon to them, each time. It's obvious he adores each of them, yet is working hard to make Simon feel welcome and noticed there, as well. Simon is overwhelmed at first...but Himmel is careful to grant him a bit of space, and to calm down the more rambunctious children. After they all meet, when some of the kids start pulling him off to look at what they've been up to in the garden, he puts Simon in Johanna's care, and she leads him to the kitchen for a snack. It's much quieter here, and the two of them sit at the table, Simon gratefully eating a sweet roll and drinking tea. He's surprised to learn Johanna is Jewish, like him--surprised, as Himmel had been open about answering the few questions Simon had summoned the courage to ask him on the way there. He'd admitted that, during the war, he had belonged to the SS; he says he had his reasons which didn't involve any hatred for people like Simon, he'll tell him about it when he's older if he has the chance, but he clarifies that he's making no excuses for his choices. To learn that he's close with someone like Johanna is unexpected. She mentions that two of the other children, Elka and Erna, are also Jewish, and if he feels more comfortable talking about such matters with her, she's willing to listen and help him out, so Simon doesn't feel overlooked. Simon is grateful for this bit of individualized attention, though when some of the children return, grab his hands, and pull him out of the room after them, he doesn't protest that either. They bustle him outside to Himmel's beloved garden, where he spends a good amount of time tending to vegetables and fruits and flowers. Himmel offers to let Simon give it a try, which he does; it's all right, though gardening isn't really his strong suit. He shyly asks if Himmel has any books. Himmel's face lights up; yes, he has books, a whole big shelf full of them; and someone else likes books--his blood son, Kolten. Kolten can't read, but he loves when other people read to him...would Simon like to read him a story? Himmel introduces the two; Simon is awed and a little frightened of the adult Kolten at first, with his huge, hulking stature, but Kolten keeps himself hunched over and drawn in--as if aware of how intimidating he is--and seems quite shy himself, peering uncertainly at Simon and saying hallo when prompted to in a very small, soft voice. He perks up when Himmel mentions Simon reading to him, and hurries to fetch a book. He likes the Grimms' fairytales, and has a big book of them. "Any one but 'Hansel & Gretel,' bitte," he says; Simon is familiar with the story and knows why it's bothersome. He chooses another story and they go sit in the window to read. The next day when Himmel and Simon return to the orphanage, Simon's mind is made up, he wants nothing more than to stay with the Himmels. Yes, it's a bit crowded and noisy, but Himmel knows how to create safe, quiet spaces when need be, for Kolten and Alwin especially. Kolten is the main reason Simon wants to stay; the two sat and read and listened for hours, and it isn't just fairytales Kolten likes, he also brought Simon a big book about castles and begged for him to read the text next to the lavish pictures. Simon later learned from Johanna that she's read these books to Kolten numerous times, he could likely recite entire passages by heart, yet he never tires of listening to them. Fairytales, legends, architecture, Medieval history, science, literature, it doesn't matter, he'll sit and listen, rapt, though the Grimm Brothers and the books about big castles are his favorites. He looked quite forlorn as Simon left that morning, and Simon realizes he misses him too; despite Kolten's size and age, he feels like the little brother Simon never had, and he longs to go back and see him again. Himmel, also, has hopes of Simon remaining. The administrator beams as she spreads out the papers; Himmel signs multiple things, Simon is allowed to gather his belongings, and once more, they head off into the country. Simon's entire attitude is changed; he's bright and alert and eager, and isn't overwhelmed this time when the other kids swarm and welcome him, though as soon as they disperse he makes a beeline for Kolten. Kolten's face lights up--"You came back!"--and the two immediately retreat to the reading nook, Kolten bringing along one of his favorite books. He points to the big block building he's making, then to a painting of the castle it's modeled after--"Read to me about it, bitte?"--and they preoccupy themselves thus for a good long while. Simon quickly fits into the Himmel household. Everyone makes him feel welcome, with Johanna getting in touch with a rabbi she knows to prepare a bar mitzvah when Simon comes of age. As a Catholic, Himmel can't really participate as a father would, yet he still attends and beams with pride just as if Simon is his own--and gives him a big hug afterward. Simon grows used to the chaotic but loving environment, always surrounded by other children--both Himmel's, and others who come to visit, such as Adel's and Didrika's son and daughter--to play and chatter with, and adults such as his adoptive parents and extended family like Johanna's brother Jakob, as well as family friends like Adel and Elias Baswitz, to help out or learn from as he grows older. Like the rest of his siblings, he stays with the Himmel household as an adult, and is heartbroken when Himmel dies peacefully in his sleep of old age. Himmel's funeral is attended by many; he touched a lot of lives, most of them for the better, and all wish to pay their respects. He's buried beside Dagmar; Simon places a stone on his grave. Simon and Johanna play the biggest role in comforting Kolten, the one most affected by Himmel's death; he sobs inconsolably for a good long while, declaring that now that his mother and uncle and father are gone, he has no family. Simon insists this isn't true--he still has Johanna, and even after she's gone, he'll have Simon, and all his other brothers and sisters--they don't plan on going anywhere or leaving him alone. It takes quite a while to settle him down, and he never quite overcomes all his grief, but Kolten eventually makes it through, leaning on Simon the most for support. Simon doesn't mind; Kolten's the "little big brother" who made him feel most welcome, now it's his time to return the favor. Please see Simon's siblings' entries: Kolten, Anneliese, Elka and Erna, Hugo and Monika and Alwin. [Simon Himmel 2024 [Friday, September 13, 2024, 12:00:16 AM]] |